During my undergraduate years at the University of Toronto, I excelled academically and assumed I’d follow the familiar path into research and academia—just like my peers, just as my professors encouraged. But even in success, a quiet question lingered: Is this really it? I loved studying how people think and behave, but I craved creativity and connection with the world beyond laboratories.

​

One summer afternoon on campus, I stumbled into a guest series on UX and design research—and something clicked. It felt like the perfect intersection of everything I loved: psychology, human behavior, design, and data. When I embarked on my first human-centered research project, I knew I’d found what I was looking for. My knowledge of cognitive psychology helped me understand how users navigate interfaces, while my background in social psychology allowed me to recognize how context, culture, and emotion shape user behavior. Though it was a pivot, I embraced the leap with clarity and excitement.

​

What started with interfaces soon expanded. I found myself drawn to bigger questions: How do we build trust in public health? How do we design systems that empower, not exclude? How do we ensure that people—not just users—feel seen, heard, and supported? That’s when I knew I was a human-centered researcher.

​

The deeper I go, the more I realize why this work feels like home. At its core, it’s about connection—seeing people clearly, designing with care, and making systems more humane. I’ve often thought, this could’ve been designed better for me. Now, I get to be the one who makes it better—for others.

 

This is how I fell in love with UX and design research—and why I continue to grow with it. In a world that never stops evolving, I bring curiosity, adaptability, and a deep commitment to thoughtful, human-centered design. As users grow, I grow with them—and I’m excited to keep creating experiences that truly resonate—with users, with purpose, and with people.